Wallabies power to Tri-Nations glory
27 Aug 2011
The Wallabies beat the All Blacks 25-20 in Brisbane to secure their first Tri-Nations title since 2001.
There’s something about this Wallabies team, something special. After beating the Springboks home and away, the latter result against the world champions’ preferred combination, they proceeded to defeat the best team in the world to claim the title. Beating the Blacks on their home turf at the World Cup will be a significantly more arduous task, but, on the evidence of this performance, they are undoubtedly the team most likely to deny this generation of All Blacks hosts the one achievement that eludes them.
Rarely are the Blacks made to look as impotent on attack as they were in the first half, the Wallabies’ punishing, precise and sustained defensive effort blunting them emphatically. This charge was lead by a group of forwards whose capacity to mix it with the visitors’ heavies was questioned pre-match. They dispelled those doubts with an immense effort at the gainline and counter-rucked ferociously all match to deny the Blacks the rapid recycle they so covet. Faced with a pack of pitbulls Graham Henry’s charges were reduced to poodles for 40 minutes. They would drag themselves off the canvas thereafter, but never recovered sufficiently to start throwing the haymakers needed to win the contest.
The Wallabies’ formidable challenge on defence was complemented by a strong, inventive and incisive attacking performance that yielded three tries. They could have upped that tally had Quade Cooper’s pass found an unmarked Digby Ioane in the early stages and had Mils Muliaina and Piri Weepu not combined brilliantly in their in-goal area to deny Adam Ashley-Cooper a certain try.
When they kicked they did so accurately, seldom allowing the Blacks’ back three time and space to launch counter-attacks. When they played through phases there was a purpose about it, forwards pounding up efficiently to establish a platform for their dynamic back division. Will Genia profited one such passage of play. With the defensive line depleted he faked to pass before sniping around a fringe guarded by two front rowers to score. Cooper kicked the conversion to go with an earlier penalty.
This was a collective effort of the highest note, but within that effort were moments of individual brilliance, the most outstanding of which came not of one of the young bucks, but veteran Radike Samo, who handed off Adam Thomson and sprinted 45m to score. If there were any ongoing concerns about his aptitude for Test rugby, they were shattered tonight.
The Wallabies led 20-3 at the break, but the Blacks reminded them of their pedigree and unrelenting spirit, reverting to a more pragmatic style and reducing the deficit through a penalty and converted try, the latter a 26-phase move culminating in Dan Carter dishing off a sublime back-of-the-hand offload to Conrad Smith. Five minutes later Ma’a Nonu gave a timely reminder of his class, stepping his way through the defensive line en route to goal, Carter adding the extras.
The tension was tangible, with the crowd’s noise level dropping off in anticipation of a stunning rebound. However, the Wallabies edged ahead once more, Genia again taking on and breaking the line before Ioane combined with Kurtely Beale. Cooper missed the conversion and then sent a penalty wide to keep the Blacks in the game with six minutes to play. However, Australia were resolute in defence and held on to claim a victory that will give them massive confidence going into the World Cup.
1,190 Comments
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28 Aug 2011, 18:38 pm
Shooter: it’s makes little sense to draw from the results of the tournaments prior to the WC as an indicator as to who is likely to win the WC. Every single WC the ABs named the favorites because of what they’ve achieved over 4 years but at every WC they do not contend for the cup, they don’t get anywhere near it! There’s no way based on that history, that the ABs are favorites again! If so, then based on what?
On the overachiever tag, if one follows your logic that owing to the ABs winning every piece of silverware prior and post each world cup, then it stands to reason that with the Boks winning nothing prior and post world cups, their high success rate at the WC makes them overachievers perpetually! Where does the bok alleged BMT go between world cup, you can only be clutch if you do it all the time mate, ask Michael Jordan he is Mr. BMT.
28 Aug 2011, 18:43 pm
Sentiment will be largely behind NZ.. if NZ don’t take this WC there is going to be an AVALANCHE of soul searching retribution quite uncommon in rugby circles.
The other 4 hopefuls will all stand a chance, even Wales can go the whole way if they upset SA.. If Wales beat SA first game up then I don’t rate SA’s chance at all.
Same if NZ lose their pool game vs France… or England lose to Argy .. or Aussie lose to Ireland
I still say will be between NZ-SA or Aussie – England, with France as outside chance upset.
28 Aug 2011, 18:44 pm
@poppa69(poppa69)-1149: yes, but you get bmt and BMT.
and then. beware the boks in the next 10 years. we have taken a beating true.
SA has gone through a difficult time to say the least.
but eventually the balance will be restored and each and every game will once again be a (an even) bigger challenge.
listen. the ab’s are good. i respect them for what they have done. and how consistently.
you should also appreciate that SA is a rugby nation through and through.
if you have an idea of what the real story in SA is. on balance. we have been trying to keep up. and we’ll be drawing level again. and then overtaking you.
we have come a long way since ’94 games. and therein there is already positives. i say again. beware the boks over the next 10 years.
it’s moonshine and roses in sleepy nz.
8)
28 Aug 2011, 18:48 pm
JL1: the same standard that I’ve applied to the ABs is applied to the SA cricket team. To be seen as a favorite at every world cup tournament whether it be rugby or cricket you need to have had it on your shelf, post just the inauguration of the tournament.
28 Aug 2011, 18:51 pm
@mpundulu(mpundulu)-1151: it’s too late mpundulu. you can not argue with the whole world.
based on everything you said. the ab’s are once again favourites.
DESPITE the history. such is the ab’s bane. poor little them.
i think the Boks are going to win it. does that make them favourites? no.
it’s all rather complicated mr mpundulu.
28 Aug 2011, 18:53 pm
@poppa69(poppa69)-1150: We the fans are being short changed
The refs are unfit
The refs are slow
They have are prima donnas
The AR do ot support the ref Ito forward passes, offside, coming in from the side, last feet etc etc
A few years ago a ref argued with a country that he is not staying in the same luxorious accommodation as the players and he needs to be booked into the same hotel, as if we paid to see the ref
Yesterday,Pocock was off his feet, but Barsney saw it differently
Skew feed ins to the scrum does not exist anymore
28 Aug 2011, 18:56 pm
@JL1(JL1)-1156: have=behave
28 Aug 2011, 18:56 pm
@ashampoopaloo(joel1yahoo)-1152: who will france meet in their qf (england? )and sf (aus?) if we assume they lose against the AB’s in the group?
and i assume we win every game in our group.
then we meet ireland in qf and ab’s in sf?
28 Aug 2011, 18:57 pm
Shooter: you’ve not discounted any of my arguments, you are merely hiding under the frock of bookies. You’ve watched enough rugby to know that the chances are the ABs will struggle to pull through, though it does not mean they’ve no chance of winning but they are not favorites, how can the ABs be favorites when the reigning world champions are participating in the tournament?
28 Aug 2011, 18:58 pm
@mpundulu(mpundulu)-1154: Unfortunately it does not work like that
4 years is a long time and the run up to the RwC is the bench for bookies, punters, media and fans
28 Aug 2011, 19:01 pm
@JL1(JL1)-1156: yeah totally agree. I think they need 4 AR’s, one that patrols each half on each side… it would help in this regard I feel..
but the IRB are TOO stubborn to do anything serious about it, so we the chumps who pay and follow the game will always have these things ruining it for all..
Shooter, that is the exact scenario if games and pools go accordingly..
28 Aug 2011, 19:02 pm
@shooter(shooter)-1158: Last time we avoided meeting EVERYONE.. was a cake walk all the way to the final (apart from 2 highly nervous encounters against 13 and 14 ranked Fiji and Tonga) and even then the ultimate final was against 7th rank England
This time a complete different kettle of fish
No hopeful favors by less favorites putting favorites out of our path.
This time if we want to go ALL the way we gonna have to do it the hard way and absolutely be crowned WORLD Champs legitimately.. Its possible but a VERY tall order this time around.
28 Aug 2011, 19:10 pm
@mpundulu(mpundulu)-1125: Yes, I agree. It should be “overwhelming favourites”.
28 Aug 2011, 19:11 pm
JL1: I concede that 4 years is a long time in rugby, therefore 24 years must be a lifetime in rugby. With a 24 year world cup history in the game you can surely draw certain conclusions with clarity. 1. The ABs are dominant between WCs. 2. Boks will historically not come close to silverware between WCs but have a higher likelihood of lifting the Bill. 3. The wallabies have also held it twice, therefore they have a better chance then the ABs to touch the silver as well. 4. England have lifted it once and they’ve been in three finals. 5. France are the spoilers for the ABs, ABs have only beaten them once in 24 years at the WC.
If I was a betting man and betting with my head, I’d go with either the Boks or the wallabies, you’ll obviously get great odds if those teams are up against the ABs.
28 Aug 2011, 19:17 pm
The Agent: the Boks can’t be world champions and a dark horse at the same time. If that’s the case then there ought to be a clear instruction put forward by the bold that they are very very lucky indeed to have collided with the Bill twice, bearing in mind the win nothing in-between.
28 Aug 2011, 19:32 pm
@mpundulu(mpundulu)-1165: i’ve responded to you in five different posts at least. even including the 1st wc – no-one has defended the title.
brazil should’ve won the soccer thing a couple times more too. still it does not not make them favourites 4/5.
even gave you the definition of the word. phonetic and all.
i am now tired of trying to convince you otherwise. if you don’t want the ab’s to be favourites.
then believe it.
all the way.
it’s not as if the favourites get a trophy before the tournament -for being favourites.
exactly that. it means ef-ol.
so why are you so going on about.
28 Aug 2011, 19:40 pm
Shooter: once again, let me explain, I don’t think that the Boks won two world cups by chance, I think the type of rugby the Boks play is conducive to winning a knock out tournament like the WC.
The ABs type of rugby, though effective and convincing between world cups has not yielded them the Bill in 24 years. One can conclusively draw that with the ABs continuing with expansive rugby and the Boks with a narrow game at this world cup, it stands to reason that the Boks are more likely to be more successful than the ABs at this WC, hence that I’m saying the Boks should be clear favorites. You understand now?
28 Aug 2011, 19:41 pm
@ashampoopaloo(joel1yahoo)-1162: ag who cares. tournaments are tournaments.
did spain meet everyone in the soccer wc?
no they only won one ‘big’ game. (ag, i actually don’t remember – so it’s just a comparison.)
but it will be cool to beat everyone at this year’s wc.
maybe after the final we can play the aussies too.
kindoff as a post wc final, just to show we are really the best, and then france the next week.
28 Aug 2011, 19:44 pm
Shooter: Brazil’s favorite is definitely justified they’ve won the FIFA world cup the most times out of any nation.
28 Aug 2011, 19:48 pm
i’ve always understood what you are trying to say. but i don’t necessarily agree with your conclusion.
‘knock out rugby’.
then why does SA – if every test is such a BMT affair – not play ‘knock out rugby’ against them in every single test?
28 Aug 2011, 19:48 pm
Shooter: why do bok fans have a problem with having the favorites tag, surely this is a point of pride, no? Additionally, with the ABs carrying the chokers tag, how can they be favorites as well?
28 Aug 2011, 19:55 pm
Shooter: my view is that the WC is a unique tournament, the grandslam, trinations, bledisloe etc are not in the same league. The WC is a focused knockout format, therefore minimal mistake rugby is a huge requirement, the ABs play a far more high risk game, you can’t carry this through a WC but you can do it in the trinations, where you can drop a game and still win the tournament.
28 Aug 2011, 19:59 pm
Shooter: I also think that the boks take 4 years to get not only their team together but also putting together a defensive plan to counter the wallabies and the ABs, and this usually climaxes at the WC. Their win in PE was no fluke it was well orchestrated.
28 Aug 2011, 20:00 pm
i genuinely believe who-ever beats the all blacks have a great chance to win the cup. because they are the most dominant side in world rugby.
playing against them you have every chance of losing. more so than any other team on any given day.
remember, as form goes into the wc, throughout the tournament i mean.
other sides may become favourite if the show extreme form.
getting beat is not always choking.
people being clueless about respect – and generally being snide.
whatwith our last 2-3 years. and especially the fact that we don’t know how we will shape. we can’t be favourites.
but i believe fitzpatrick. that we will be dangerous, very dangerous. if the ab’s can. they will want to avoid us as well.
28 Aug 2011, 20:06 pm
@mpundulu(mpundulu)-1171: it is.
but you are the one having a problem with it.
anyway. i hear your point. i don’t think you have convinced me.
i have to go – but if you have odds on the ab’s not winning the wc – let me know. cheers
28 Aug 2011, 20:10 pm
Its Smits fault… Blame John Smit…
28 Aug 2011, 20:10 pm
Shooter: the lead up to every WC for SA is very similar they’ll win one trinations in 4 years, no grandslams, they’ll lose to either Ireland, England, Scotland or club team in Europe. Like in 2007, the Boks this year took a beating on the away leg of the trinations with a clear focus on the WC. The ABs have gone about their business the best way they know how by winning even though they stumbled in PE and Brisbane. The Boks will rip through their pool stages growing in confidence with each game, by the knock out stages it’ll be skop, skiet en donner to the final!
28 Aug 2011, 20:32 pm
Mpundulu on point
28 Aug 2011, 20:52 pm
The problem with most teams is they dont have bigger vision than the world cup but all blacks have a vision to be the no 1 team period and also advance the way rugby is played. Other teams Soley want world cup success. in the end being no 1 doesnot mean world cup glory . If 3N was a world cup none of them would have won Coz loose one game u bite the dust so wallabies boks and blacks can calm down now as this world is more open to the top five than one favorite. It’s a team that will master 7 straights wins without expansive rugby Coz not only is it exhausting to be playing expansive rugby recovery time is so much shorter. All out all black rugby is suited for 7 day turn around not 4 day gasps . Thats why they more lethargic the further they move into the knock out what the use of winning your pool games by 45 point ask 100 meter specialist win your hits then break records in olympic final not before.
28 Aug 2011, 20:55 pm
@ashampoopaloo(joel1yahoo)-1152:
” if NZ don’t take this WC there is going to be an AVALANCHE of soul searching retribution quite uncommon in rugby circles.”
…….but a daily event here on Keo, where the soul-searching is, indeed, ‘common’ even without the requirement of the locals’ team involvement.
Oh let me guess, suicide rates will increase, therapists will be over-worked, and domestic violence will fill the prisons ?!
All in 1 common day here on Keo.
28 Aug 2011, 21:06 pm
@mpundulu(mpundulu)-1067:
“…The wallabies bullied the ABs in Brisbane and the Boks effected their tried tested traditional rugby in PE and smothered them. Now the road is clear”
this, after 2 Bok wins in the previous 10 TriN matches
‘smothered them’
~chortle~
the un-tried AB combination scored the only try and could have scored 2-3 more. The Boks were so busy ‘smothering’ they forgot to execute ONE try-scoring opportunity in 80 smothering minutes.
@mpundulu(mpundulu)-1069:
“England has been to more recent finals in the WC than the ABs, therefore it stands to reason that England must truly fancy their chances against the ABs…”
at RWCs, Engl vs NZ, its 0 – 3.
Pray for Fiji !
28 Aug 2011, 21:20 pm
No Mpundulu England in 3 finals the blacks on 2 finals do 3-2 england the scary thought is England have been in two away from home thanks the barmy army of supporters & have won right down under with a coach who was captain then so beware the POMS
28 Aug 2011, 21:26 pm
Black panther: your points are valid, the Boks won’t focus on tries, they play a streamlined game that depends on upfront heavy dominance that forces mistakes and penalties. They don’t know what to do with ball in hand, they win through sheer brutality only, if you match them upfront then you have a keen chance. However, you must play complete rugby, running, forward play set pieces breakdowns etc., plus a kicking game.
28 Aug 2011, 21:53 pm
Zambok: we can only pray that we won’t see England in a final again for the foreseeable future mate.
28 Aug 2011, 22:28 pm
@poppa69(poppa69)-1041: Hahahaha so true poppa
29 Aug 2011, 02:51 am
@Black Panther(Black Panther)-1180:
And mostly by you
29 Aug 2011, 04:20 am
@Michael(mikeybrass)-1091: Dude, I agree with you it wasn’t a B team in the senses the Bok team was in Wellington (because there were about 8 first choice ABs in the team), but you obviously didn’t watch the game! Carter was safely tucked up under a rug watching the game on tele in NZ. Piri Weepu was the back up fly half (and made a decent fist of it when he came on).
29 Aug 2011, 04:39 am
An email doing the rounds in NZ under the title “Graham Henry is a very clever man”. I don’t know if the stats are correct, but it’s interesting nonetheless:
“In case you haven’t noticed, only once since the RWC commenced has a team that made the semi-finals of the RWC gone on to win at the next event, and that was Australia who came fourth in 1987 and then won in 1991 (all before South Africa joined). Since then, every winner failed to make it to the semi-finals in the previous event. Clearly, Graham Henry is a very clever man.”
29 Aug 2011, 06:02 am
My gut and Kiwi friends tell me this is the best thing that could’ve happened to the AB’s – think they might be right or are they learning some PDivvy spin? All teams are going to have a bad game or three every now and again, no matter how good they are and this is a very good AB team. They will be up for RWC2011, you can bet your left one on it – I have a feeling that the AB vs Bok semi is going to be EPIC! Bokke BO!!
29 Aug 2011, 06:39 am
@Black Panther(Black Panther)-1181: Mate, your team just got smacked. This game had an eerie Cardiff feel to it. Best you concentrate on your team and what they need to do to change your fortunes at a WC tourney then worrying about us. I bet your team had you close to tears in that 1st half
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